Monday, September 22, 2008

Strawberry Bread

I bought some strawberries last week and needed to use them so I looked up a recipe for strawberry bread online. I found this one below and I think it turned out really great. You can click here for the website I found it on. I think it is from a Junior League cookbook, which are usually always good. Enjoy!

Ingredients:1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

3 large eggs1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries (I used 2 cups)

To make:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place the oven rack in the middle position. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of an 8-cup loaf pan(9 x 5 x 3 inch) (23 x 13 x 8 cm). Set aside.

Place the walnuts (or pecans) on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes or until brown and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool completely before chopping coarsely. Set aside.In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in three additions) and sour cream (in two additions) alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries and walnuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake about one hour, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.Makes 1 loaf.